Ex-Fiance of Former "Beauty" Queen/U of A Law Student Convicted of Kidnapping and Assault

The ex-fiance of Kumari Fulbright, the former "beauty" queen/University of Arizona law student, most famous for terrifying us all with her Gremlin-esque mugshot, was convicted yesterday for his role in the 2007 kidnapping of one of Fulbright's ex-boyfriends.

The jury found 47-year-old Robert Ergonis guilty of kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault, and armed robbery.

The verdict comes less than a week after Fulbright testified against him in court in exchange for a plea deal in her own kidnapping/assault cases.

Fulbright's testimony helped convince jurors that Ergonis was a key figure in the kidnapping.

In her testimony, Fulbright told jurors she felt duped Ergonis into committing the kidnapping and robbery, KGUN reports.

"I felt bamboozled," Fulbright said. "I felt like my pride was hurt because I considered myself a good judge of character, someone who was smart. And here I am, with someone who I just dated (who) was educationally inferior to me, not as well-read, not as well-traveled, and he completely pulled the wool over my eyes, so I think I was, I felt conned."

If you like this story, consider signing up for our email newsletters.

SHOW ME HOW

Newsletters

SUCCESS!

You have successfully signed up for your selected newsletter(s) - please keep an eye on your mailbox, we're movin' in!

During the kidnapping, prosecutors say Fulbright, Ergonis, and another man held her ex-boyfriend hostage for about 10 hours, while robbing and torturing him.

According to prosecutors, Fulbright was angry about some jewelry she believed the ex-boyfriend stole from her to pay a drug debt, and in the course of torturing him, she stuck a butcher's knife in his ear and bit him several times.

Fulbright's case received a lot of media attention because, aside from being a promising law student charged with kidnapping, the above mugshot could double as a Halloween costume.

Ergonis' sentencing is scheduled for December 16. Fulbright's is scheduled for early 2011.